Apparatus for holding thermal lances

ABSTRACT

DISCLOSED HEREIN IS AN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF SELF-CONSUMING THERMAL LANCES FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY BURNING OPENINGS IN BUIDLING WALLS OR THE LIKE. FURTHER A METHOD IS DISCLOSED ACCORDING TO WHICH THE SET OF CONSUMED THERMAL LANCES IS REMOVED AND THE FRESH SET OF LANCES IS IGNITED DIRECTLY AT THE HOT MATERIAL IN WHICH AN OPENING IS TO BURN.

w m w iiiie tee Inventor August liinrrer Wetailiton, Switzerland App].No. $03,277 Filed Feb. 2%, 1969 Patented June 20, 1971 Priority Mair. I,1960 Swimerlluud 3076/60 APPARATUS FOR MOLDING THERMAL LANClES 9Ciiiims, 3 Drawing li i gs.

US. Cl Bi/3A3,

266/23, 431/99 Hut. 1121 F23d 13/241 Field! 011 Search 1 10/22;

431/99, 343; 266/23; 248/(lnquired) [1 1 A 56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,309,096 1/1943 Buckham et all. 1 10/22 3,260,076 7/1912Humberg 431/99 Primary Exam iner- Edward G. Favors Attorney-Flynn andFrishauf ABSTRACT: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for holding aplurality of self-consuming thermal lances for simultaneously burningopenings in building walls or the like. Further a method is disclosedaccording to which the set of consumed thermal lances is removed and thefresh set of lances is ignited directly at the hot material in which anopening is to burn.

PATENTED JUN28 m A MM W- INVH-l H m.

APPARATUS IFOR HOLDING TlllllElllMAlL LANCIES The invention relates toan apparatus for holding thermal lances.

It is conventional practice, when forming openings in building walls orthe like by means of self-consuming thermal lances, to form one holeafter the other by means of a thermal lance which is guided manually bythe user. This manner of procedure is quite wasteful in time.Furthermore, it is in practice impossible to simultaneously guide morethan one thermal lance by hand, so as to ensure that it will be appliedat the correct places, and at the same time to attend to the forwardfeeding movement of the thermal lance.

It is an object of the invention to carry out the combustion process insuch a manner that a plurality of thermal lances can be simultaneouslyused.

It is a further object of the invention not only to substantially reducethe time needed for forming a given 'slot length but also to effectappreciable reductions, with regard to consumption of the self-consumingtubes of the thermal lances, in comparison with the consumption whichtakes place when one hole is formed after the other.

Another, more specific object of the present invention relates to animproved frame which serves for the production of wall openings or thelike and which can be caused to assume at least one position ofutilization this frame being arranged to receive a plurality of thermallances which can burn simultaneously and which lie side by side eitherin a rectilinear or in a ring-shaped formation; and the mutual spacingbetween these thermal lances is selected such that the slot or holeformed by burning the material of the wall or the like will besubstantially without residual, intermediate or bridge portions.

The invention will be better understood, and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent, when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, diagrammatic view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the rear and of thethermal lances, and also shows the rear slotted plate;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through a joint of the frame.

A plurality of tubular thermal or thermic lances 1 lie parallel to oneanother, their rear ends all being connected to an oxygen feed pipe orhose 2 which serves to supply the equipment with pure oxygen. Thesethermal lances 1 are used for burning a slot 4 or a ring-shaped openingin a wall 3 ofa build ing, or in some other structure or surface. Eachthermal lance 1 consists of a commercially available iron tube, such asgaspipes, whose inner diameter is filled to the fullest possible extentwith a number of iron wires. These wires define, between each other andthe tube, intermediate spaces which extend approximately parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the tube and are intended for the passage of theoxygen. Prior to the commencement of the combustion process the thermallances are ignited at their front tips by preheating from an outer heatsource. The oxygen which issues from the front ends of the lancescausing the material of the tube and of the wires to burn slowly withstrong accompanying evolution of heat, so that the lances are graduallyconsumed. The heat evolved during this combustion process is so greatthat stone or rock, reinforced concrete, and the like become liquefied,and an opening is thus formed in these materials.

It has been found that, when a plurality of these thermal lances aresimultaneously arranged side by side in this manner. notable advantagesaccrue in comparison with the conventional manner of procedure accordingto which only one thermal lance is used at any given time.

The thermal lances 1 which are arranged in side by side relationship,are supported by a front slotted plate 5 and by a rear slotted plate 6.The front slotted plate 5 is supported by a shear-legs or a strut 9,which can be adjusted into two mutually perpendicular planes by means ofarticulated joints b. The strut 9, which is adjustable by telescopicaction in height,

can also be laterally shifted by means ofa tube llll which slides on oralong a rod 10. An example ofsuch an articulated joint 8 is shown inFIG. 3 in greater detail. The lower part of the strut 9 engages in afork 2i. A pin 22 passes through both these parts 9 and 21. One side ofthis pin 22 is provided with a head 23 and the other side with a screwthreaded portion 25, on which is mounted a knob 24 which can be rotatedby hand. When the rotary knob 24 is tightened the articulated joint canbe locked in any desired position of adjustment, as both shanks of thefork 21 will then press against the portion of the strut 9 lying betweenthem and firmly clamp the strut in position by frictional engagement. Anelongate supporting bar or rod 13 is connected to the tube I1 throughthe intermediary of an articulated joint 8 and is extendingsubstantially parallel to the lances l. The whole assembly is soconstructed and arranged that the frame carrying the thermal lances 1can be shifted in the horizontal direction, or is constructed in theform ofa car which can run on rails.

In operation the thermal lances l, which are disposed side by side andare slowly consumed, are fed forwards in the longitudinal direction ofthe tubes, the thermal lances sliding in the slots 15 of the frontslotted plate .5. Both plates 5 are provided with oblique slots 15 whichopen in the upwards direction, so that inclined or vertical slots 4 canalso be formed in the walls or the like by means of the same apparatus.

The lateral spacing between the thermal lances l is so selected that nosubstantial residual intermediate bridge or web portions will remainbehind when the combustion process has been completed; in this way it isensured that the slot or ring-shaped opening formed in the wall or otherstructure will be entirely free of such residual bridge or web portions.This lateral spacing between the tubes will depend on the tube diameterand also partially on the nature of the material of the structure inwhich an opening is to be burned. In the case of an outer diameter ofthe thermal lance of the distance from tube center to tube center may beselected as about 2%.

A tube or rod 14 is rigidly connected to the front, slotted plate 5 andextends parallel to the thermal lances 1. As is clearly shown in FIG. 2,the rear slotted plate 6 comprises a hub or boss 20 in which the rod 14slidingly engages. In this way it is possible to arrange the rearportion of the thermal lances l in a freely suspended or overhungmanner. The thermal lances l are placed in position in the slots 15 ofthe two slotted plates 5, 6. During the combustion process the thermallances, which are freely movable in the slots 15 of the front slottedplate 5, slide in the forwards direction, while they are either rigidlysecured in position by clamping screws (FIG. I) on the rear slottedplate 6 or are subject to the tensioning action of springs 17, whichcompensate for any disproportionate burning-out of the individualthermal lances 1. One end of each of these springs 17 is attached to theslotted plate 6, while its other end is attached to the retaining sleeve18 which is mounted on the rear end of each thermal lance I. All lancesl are advanced together by moving the rear slotted plate 6 in directionof the burning place.

In order to ensure the smoothest possible operation of the apparatus, asecond pair of slotted plates is always provided, a number of previouslyprepared thermal lances 1 being placed in position in this second pairof slotted plates. As soon as the thermal lances l of the first slottedplate have been consumed to an extent such that their service life isalmost at an end, the first pair of slotted plates is withdrawn to theside and the second pair of slotted plates together with its associatednew thermal lances is introduced into the equipment. As this changeovercan take place very rapidly, the front end of the tubes of the newlyintroduced thermal lances can be ignited by the brick, stone or othermaterial which is still hot or by the stored heat present in the slotbeing formed in the wall or other structure.

This provision permits the formation of a slot whose shape, angle ofinclination, and spatial position can be accurately predetermined.

It has been found that this apparatus is not only capable of achievingsubstantial saving in operating times but that it is also possible torealize savings in tube material of about I- 20 percent in comparisonwith the conventional mode of operation according to which one thermallance after the other is separately burned for forming a slot or hole ofcomparable size and shape. The improved results are attributable to thefact that each of the mutually juxtaposed thermal lances reinforces orenhances the combustion of the lance lying adjacent to it.

In addition to the saving in time, savings in costs of up to 40 percentare also achieved.

Conveniently, a protective screen or shield or a smoke extraction hood(cowling) is disposed between the front slotted plate 5 and the wall'3,in which an opening is to be burned; it will then be possible both todispense with additional means for providing protection against flyingsparks and also to prevent any nuisancebeing caused by the presence ofsmoke or the like. It is also possible to make the slotted plate 5 sobig that it becomes the function of a protective shield.

Instead of effecting the feed of the thermal lances l by hand it is alsopossible to secure a pull cable to the rear slotted plate 6; this cablepasses, parallel to the lances I, to the frame and is there held down bya weight; in this way a substantially automatic feed of the thermallances 1 can be effected. It would also be possible to use springsinstead of the pull or draw cable. Instead ofthe'slotted plates shown inthe drawing, it is also possible to use some other suitable, equivalentmeans for holding the thermal lances l.

Instead of disposing the juxtaposed tubes in a rectilinear formation,which they are given for the purpose of forming rectilinear horizontal,vertical or slanting slots in the wall or the like, the thermal lancesmay alternatively be arranged in an arcuate or ringed formation, so asto enable them to form arcuate or ring-shaped openings in the wall orlike structure.

As should now be apparent, the objects initially set forth at the outsetof this specification have been successfully achieved. ACCORDINGLY,

Iclaim:

1. Holding apparatus for thermal lances which form cavities, or openingsin concrete, stone, building walls or like structures by gaseouscombustion, said holding apparatus comprising a frame adapted to receivea plurality of longitudinal thermal lances to burn simultaneously, andarranged substantially parallel to each other, said frame includingfront support means and a rear support means for said lances; a rodinterconnecting said front and said rear support means extendingsubstantially parallel to the direction said lances are to assume whenbeing held by the apparatus, the front support means being rigidlyattached to the rod and the rear support means being shiftable on saidrod;

spacer means formed in said frame adapted for holding said thermallances, when being held by the apparatus, at a mutual spacing betweeneach other so that, upon burning of the lances, substantially nointennediate bridgelike portions will remain in the cavity or openingbeing formed;

and articulated support means supporting said frame.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said articulated supportmeans has at least two articulated joints, the pivotal axes of saidjoint being perpendicular to each other.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including connector means adapted forconnection to each of said thermal lances;

and individual spring means interconnecting said connector means andsaid rear support means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said front support meanscomprises a plate formed with upwardly open slits, said slits beingadapted to receive and hold lances therein.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in combination with a plurality oflongitudinal thermal lances arranged substantially parallel to eachother and located in said front and rear su port means, spaced from eachother by the distance defined y said spacer means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is movable inlateral direction and extendable in vertical direction.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame comprises anelongated bar supported by the ground and extending substantiallyparallel to the thermal lance, the length of said bar being at leasthalf the length of said thermal lances prior to combustion of thelatter, said frame being a tripod and being the only supporting meansbetween the thermal lances and the ground.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim I, wherein at least four thermal lancesare provided, the space between the axes thereof being greater thantheir diameter.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said thermal lances arearranged in a horizontal plane.

